Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away
by Settiai
Summary: X-Factor (v3). It was going to be one of those days at X-Factor Investigations. Rictor could tell. :: Rictor/Shatterstar


Rictor woke up to what felt like several gallons of water pouring in on him through the open window beside his bed. Swearing in Spanish, a few Cadre words mixed in more out of habit than anything else, he flung himself at the window and pulled it closed. Outside, a crack of thunder sounded, and it felt as if it shook the entire building.

He stood there a moment, dripping. Then he took in a deep breath, not caring in the least bit that it was probably still very early in the morning. "Shatterstar!"

A few seconds later, his bedroom door opened and Shatterstar poked his head inside. "Yes, Julio?" He blinked when he saw Rictor, tilting his head slightly in puzzlement. "Why are you wet?"

Rictor closed his eyes, doing his best to convince himself that strangling someone so early in the day wouldn't be a good idea. Especially when said person was Shatterstar. If nothing else, there would probably be witnesses.

When he opened them a moment later, 'Star was still staring at him. "Did you open my window when you got up this morning?" he asked pointedly. "Like you always do?"

Shatterstar blinked. "Of course."

"Then that's why I'm wet," Rictor said. He gestured toward the window, where the rain was falling so hard that it was impossible to see anything more than a foot or so away from the building.

"Ah." Shatterstar at least had the good grace to look a little sheepish. "I didn't realize the forecast was for rain."

Rictor groaned. "Of course you didn't."

Shatterstar didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then he tilted his head, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face. "Am I supposed to offer to help you get out of your wet clothing now?" he asked. "Or would that only apply if one of us was a woman?"

Rictor stared at him.

Shatterstar stared back.

"Okay, that's it," Rictor said, "the TV and you are going to have to stop seeing each other for awhile if you won't stop watching those cheesy Lifetime movies."

"But those films are quite educational," Shatterstar said, frowning.

Rictor sat down on his bed, trying to ignore the fact that it made a squishing noise that didn't bode well for future use of it. "'Star, do me a favor?"

Shatterstar nodded. "Of course."

"Go back to doing-" Rictor paused. "Well, whatever it was you were doing before I yelled, go back to doing it."

Shatterstar frowned. "I was watching television," he said slowly. "Did you not just say-"

"Forget what I said," Rictor said, reaching up to rub his temples. "Please feel free to go back to your torrid affair with the TV."

For a moment, it looked like Shatterstar was going to say something else. Then he shook his head, turning around and walking away without another word.

Rictor glanced up at the ceiling. "What did I do to deserve this?" he asked, throwing his arms dramatically outward. "Yes, I get that 'Star thinks the day will go horribly wrong if he doesn't start the morning by letting in fresh air. But does it have to be_ my_ window that gets opened?"

"Fresh air?" There was a snort from the doorway as Guido appeared where Shatterstar had been standing, looking as if he'd just rolled out of bed. From the way he was glaring at him, Rictor suspected that was because he probably _had_ just rolled out of bed. "In New York? You'd think keeping the window closed would be a better idea in that case."

Rictor ignored him, instead running his fingers through his hair in an attempt to get some of the water out. He was a mature adult. He wasn't going to let one of his coworkers draw him into a fight simply because Rictor had woken him up too early.

"Another fight with the missus?" Guido asked, his eyes twinkling.

Mature adult, that was him. Someone with X-Factor Investigations had to be, and the only other possible option was Darwin as long as Terry and Monet were off doing their own thing.

"Shut up, Guido," Rictor said dryly. He pulled his shirt off and started wringing it out onto the floor.

He, Julio Esteban Richter, was a mature adult. All he had to do was keep repeating that fact over and over, and maybe-

"I guess I get first dibs on the shower this morning, since you obviously don't need it."

Rictor gave up and simply dropped the soaked shirt onto the floor, where it landed in the puddle of water that had formed between the window and his bed. "I said shut up, Guido."

Guido just smirked at him.

Rictor smirked back. Then he reached down to pick up his water-soaked pillow and threw it straight at Guido's face, where it hit with a satisfying splat.

Sometimes maturity was overrated.

* * *

Jamie glanced up from his newspaper when Rictor walked into the kitchen. "Who won the pillow fight, you or Guido?"

Rictor opened the refrigerator, pulled out a carton of milk, and poured himself a glass. He pointedly ignored Jamie, who was openly smirking at his lack of response.

"Ah," Jamie said, taking a sip of coffee, "it's going to be one of _those_ days. First Longshot and Darwin, and now you and Guido."

Rolling his eyes, Rictor put the milk back in the fridge. "Isn't it always one of _those_ days lately?" he muttered.

Jamie held up his coffee mug toward Rictor in a mock salute. "Touché."

Rictor opened one of the cabinets, frowning when he saw nothing in it except a few empty cereal boxes. Shaking his head, he closed it and opened the cabinet next to it. Then he quickly slammed it back shut. He wasn't certain what the green, fuzzy thing in the corner was, and he didn't want to find out.

"What's going on with Longshot and Darwin?" Rictor asked, curiosity getting the better of him as he walked back to the refrigerator and opened it again.

Jamie's voice was strained when he answered. "They called this morning to tell me they were near Memphis and might be back a little later than planned."

Rictor glanced over his shoulder at him. "So?" he asked. "They were on that job down in Atlanta, right? I guess they decided to take a roundabout way home."

"Wrong Memphis."

Giving up on the idea of actually finding something edible for breakfast, Rictor closed the refrigerator door again. "How the hell did they end up in Egypt?"

Jamie shrugged. "All I know is it involved magic and they haven't been paid yet." He paused. "Think you could ask Shatterstar if he'd mind doing whatever it is that he does to go pick them up so I don't have to pay for airplane tickets? Or are you two still having a lover's spat?"

Rictor dropped down into the chair across from Jamie. "Bite me, Madrox," he said, taking a huge gulp of milk.

Jamie raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that your boyfriend's job?"

Rictor didn't feel guilty when his spit-take ended up spraying his boss directly in the face. Not even a little bit.

It really was going to be one of those days. He could tell.

* * *

There was a tentative knock on the door, barely loud enough for Rictor to hear. He frowned and didn't move from the window, his gaze focused on the downpour outside. Maybe if he ignored whoever it was, they'd go away.

Whoever it was knocked again, louder this time.

"Or maybe not," Rictor muttered, rolling his eyes. He turned away from the window, flinching as the carpet squished a little under his feet despite his having spend the last two hours trying to clean up the mess from earlier. "Go away!"

For a moment, it seemed as if whoever was outside his door had listened. Then the doorknob turned and it opened a crack, just enough for Shatterstar to stick his head inside. "Julio?" he asked warily. "May I come inside?"

Rictor groaned, sitting down on his bed. "I thought I'd locked that."

A slightly sheepish look appeared on Shatterstar's face, and he reached one hand in to show off the lock pick he was holding.

The corners of Rictor's mouth twitched as he tried to keep himself from smiling. "What do you want, 'Star?"

Shatterstar didn't hide his own smile as he walked through the door. "You spoke with Madrox this morning?"

Rictor rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Jamie," he muttered. Then he shrugged. "Look, I've never been to Memphis, so I can't be your anchor this time. Longshot and Darwin are big boys. I'm sure they'll find their way home without our help. Eventually."

Shatterstar nodded. "That's what I told Madrox."

Rictor tried to hide his grin, but he suspected that his mouth twitched enough that Shatterstar could tell that he was trying not to smile. "So that's what the loud swearing earlier was all about."

"I believe so," Shatterstar agreed. "He didn't seem pleased with my answer."

Rictor snorted, and he stopped trying to hide his grin. He patted the bed beside him. "Oh, come on. Sit down."

Shatterstar hesitated for a moment before walked over to sit down beside Rictor on the bed. They sat there a few seconds in silence, neither of them quite certain what to say.

"I'm sorry for leaving your window open this morning."

Rictor shrugged. "Hey, I've had worse." He paused for a moment before smirking. "Remember Mexico, when we spent most of our nights camping out in the middle of nowhere?"

Shatterstar laughed. "You swore the entire time that the tent was cursed."

"It was!" Rictor said, lightly punching Shatterstar in the arm. "Every time it rained, I ended up getting wet while you wouldn't have a drop of water land on you."

Shatterstar grinned, a nostalgic glint in his eyes. "If I remember correctly, I had to distract you whenever it rained or else neither of us would have had much sleep."

"The way I remember it, your distractions didn't exactly help us get more sleep," Rictor shot back.

The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds. Then, smiling, Shatterstar leaned over and kissed Rictor. It was short and gentle, and the apology it conveyed was impossible to miss.

In the doorway, Guido cleared his throat. Loudly.

They sprang apart guiltily, Rictor letting out a startled curse as he lost his balance and landed on the floor with a flood. Shatterstar glared at Guido, a dark look on his face.

Guido just rolled his eyes. "Would it kill the two of you to close the door?" he grumbled. "At least until Madrox agrees to shell out the money to soundproof the place?"

Rictor pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his ass ruefully. "Hey, if we don't close the door, maybe it will convince Madrox to agree to your demands faster."

Guido opened his mouth. Then he closed it a moment later, a thoughtful look appearing on his face.

"It's a logical assumption," Shatterstar agreed.

Guido bit his lip. "I'm going downstairs," he said slowly. "In five minutes, I'm going to tell Madrox there's a leak up here that he needs to do something about."

"Five minutes?" Shatterstar repeated.

Guido nodded. "Five minutes."

Shatterstar grinned, and before Rictor knew what was happening he felt 'Star grab his arm and pull him back down on the bed. This time the kiss was harder, more forceful, and much more familiar. Acting almost on automatic, Rictor slipped his hand under Shatterstar's shirt, running his fingers over muscles and faint scars that he'd memorized ages ago.

When they pulled away from each other a minute or so later, Guido had disappeared. The door, however, was still standing wide open.

"We should probably close the door," Rictor said reluctantly.

Shatterstar paused in his attempt to take off Rictor's shirt. "Why?"

"Because amusing as it might be, I think walking in on the two of us might possibly give Madrox mental scarring." Rictor paused. "Or another identity crisis. Either way, it probably wouldn't be a good thing."

"I see," Shatterstar said, nodding. Then he did something with his tongue that completely drove away any thoughts Rictor had about getting up to shut the door.

Five minutes later, there was a strangled sound from the doorway, followed by a string of fairly creative curses and Madrox shouting Guido's name at the top of his lungs. Rictor barely even noticed.

Shatterstar really was good at distractions.


End file.
